Turkey AH 1203(10) zeri mahbub
This specimen was lot 1476 in Künker sale 352 (Osnabruck, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €220 (about US$306 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"TÜRKEI, Selim III. 1789-1807. Zeri Mahbub 1789 (= 1203 AH), 10. Regierungsjahr, Islambol. GOLD. Prägeschwächen, sonst vorzüglich. (Turkey, Ottoman empire, Selim III, 1789-1807, zeri mahbub of 1789, year 10, Istanbul mint. Weakly struck, otherwise extremely fine.)"
The vast majority of survivors of this type have been removed from jewelry. The Hejira calendar uses a lunar year instead of a solar year, so its starting date moves from year to year. This type was issued AH 1203, year 10 thru 19 (1789-96). The gold was the victim of frequent manipulation and the denominations changed names in a confusing manner. The SCWC lists zeri mahbubs, rumi altins, adli altins, yeni altins and hayriye altins for this period. Matters were regularized in the reign of Abdul Mejid, with gold coins issued in multiples of the kuruş.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 2.4 g, gold, 21 mm diameter, this specimen 2.38 g.
Catalog reference: KM 523, Pere vgl. 697 (see year 8); Damali 28-K-A8-10.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Uslu, Kaan, Beyazit, M. Fatih, and Kara, Tuncay, Ottoman Empire Coins 1687-1839 (AH 1099-1255), Istanbul: Anka Matbaacilik, 2010.
- Album, Stephen, Checklist of Islamic Coins, 3rd Ed. Santa Rosa, Stephen Album Rare Coins, 2011.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Künker Auktion 352: Die Sammlung Hermann Schwarz: Faszination des gepragten Goldes. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2021.
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